[Opry99er]

Anyone here ever target buffalo fish? I know there aren't any in Colorado, but they seem to be prevalent in southern and easterly states.

I wonder if they act and react like carp... El google-o has mixed information...

ALSO... While I have caught flathead cats before, I have never really specifically targeted them. It looks like I will need to learn.

Do they respond similarly to baits, presentation, and time of day as, say, a large channel cat? Again, there are mixed bits of info available online... Most I can find is the comparisons between channels and blue cat.

I know habitat is going to vary with flats... They seem to occupy a unique niche for lake and river habitat.

 

[mrwigglestheworm]

Anyone here ever target buffalo fish? I know there aren't any in Colorado, but they seem to be prevalent in southern and easterly states.

I wonder if they act and react like carp... El google-o has mixed information...

ALSO... While I have caught flathead cats before, I have never really specifically targeted them. It looks like I will need to learn.

Do they respond similarly to baits, presentation, and time of day as, say, a large channel cat? Again, there are mixed bits of info available online... Most I can find is the comparisons between channels and blue cat.

I know habitat is going to vary with flats... They seem to occupy a unique niche for lake and river habitat.

Flats: Go find a wicked bluegill pond. Catch said bluegills. Put them on a big ass circle hook (alive). Enjoy catching big ass flats...

Couldn't tell you about Buffalo...I'm a refined brotha man...

 

[Opry99er]

^^^:lol:^^^

Sounds like heaven

 

[pistoldog]

I know where your at buddy.

Look at this:

McAlpine Locks

 

[Opry99er]

Yea man... I lived in Louisville for 8 years. That's a solid stretch of river for fishing... That's for sure!!! Right now I'm in New Albany, IN. I walk out the front door and see the Ohio River... I know there are monsters in there... Unfortunately I am not on a fishing trip.

 

[pistoldog]

Hope it all works out my friend. If you have a solid job opportunity in TN I can't blame you for the move, makes perfect reason to me.

Wishing you the best.



I know the area you are at right now pretty well fyi due to family ties in S. Indiana and N Kentucky. I used to fish Patoka for slabs in my younger innocent years..

 

[WestSloper]

Hey just because you might be moving don't don't give up on the hard water!

 

[Opry99er]

http://americanprocatters.com/2013/01/ohio-river-trophy-catfish-populations-kentucky-holds-the-key/


Kentucky regulations have failed the Ohio River in a BIIIIG way... Commercial catfishing on the Kentucky stretch of the Ohio has virtually destroyed the blue cat fishery there. Indiana and the other neighboring states have all made commercial fishing illegal, while KY had a cheap no-limit commercial license allowing thousands of pounds of blues to be pulled out daily for food and pay lakes. Shame, they really missed the boat on regulation changes.

 

[Opry99er]

^^^ this is a longish article, but worth the read... Regardless of whether you are a cat fisherman or not... Whether you ever fished the Ohio or not.

 

[catchn]

Flats: Go find a wicked bluegill pond. Catch said bluegills. Put them on a big ass circle hook (alive). Enjoy catching big ass flats...

Couldn't tell you about Buffalo...I'm a refined brotha man...

^This is how we did it back home. Bartlett reservoir outside of PHX yields a dozen or more every year over 40lbs. We would catch big one 10, 20, 30, 40lbers on spoons on a good LM bite,... first you think your snagged, then for a second you think you have the state record bass,... then

We would always go up where the river from the mail lake, I believe they do like current... although I've caought plenty on the main lake too. Some say they only eat fish,... and only live or whole fish, but I've caught plenty on worms and cut bait etc. Just like all fish the bigger they get the more they get used to canabolizing so the bigger the more fish and less scraps,... but like any cat they'll eat anything.

 

[Freestone303]

All buffalo I have caught or seen caught were bycatch. I really dont remember what we would have been fishing for or the techniques utilized, because it was a long time ago.

 

[Opry99er]

Buffalo are some neat fish... Hard fighters and definitely unique looking. I'll do some additional reading and see what I can see.

On the flatties, I am gathering that they basically shack up during the day... Much more so than channels. Dawn and dusk are the best times to get em near their habitat, full night ks the best time to get em roaming and feeding actively.

 

[mrwigglestheworm]

^This is how we did it back home. Bartlett reservoir outside of PHX yields a dozen or more every year over 40lbs. We would catch big one 10, 20, 30, 40lbers on spoons on a good LM bite,... first you think your snagged, then for a second you think you have the state record bass,... then

We would always go up where the river from the mail lake, I believe they do like current... although I've caought plenty on the main lake too. Some say they only eat fish,... and only live or whole fish, but I've caught plenty on worms and cut bait etc. Just like all fish the bigger they get the more they get used to canabolizing so the bigger the more fish and less scraps,... but like any cat they'll eat anything.

Yep. I failed to mention current as well. Seems like we've always done better in the spillway of reservoirs for them.

 

[Dave M]

Flats: Go find a wicked bluegill pond. Catch said bluegills. Put them on a big ass circle hook (alive). Enjoy catching big ass flats...

Couldn't tell you about Buffalo...I'm a refined brotha man...

Added tip.

Get some wirecutters and trim all the spines off the fish first before casting out.

The blood released attracts flats.

 

[Opry99er]

Good tip.

You know, there is no rod limit in TN... Also, you can use any sportfish as bait as long as it was harvested legally.

BUT.... If you want to fish for trout, you have to buy a trout stamp. . Interesting.

One more little quirk... You can buy a Lifetime Sportsman's license. If I buy one for my son before he turns 7, its $540 for a lifetime hunting and fishing license.

 

[Opry99er]

....if you cant tell, Im trying to make myself feel better about this move..... Its working a little...